Redheads and Car Horns
by Rumpelstiltskin und Vladimir
Summary: Jo watched in utter shock as the man knocked the girl out of the way. Jessie wailed at the same time as a loud car horn quickly followed by a hard thud sounded through the air. (Requested by MarsKilljoy) -a rumpy only story-


**The first in a series of three requests I need to finish for the people who figured out my Rieger reference in Illusion. I wrote this one up rather quickly and I like it a lot, but I'm not so sure it's whumpy enough for what you wanted, Mars! I apologize if it isn't what you had in mind, but enjoy!**

***DISCLAIMER* RV makes no claim to own Forever or its characters. They are the property of Mathew Miller and ABC. No profit is made from this writing.**

* * *

"Jessie Lyle?" Jo asked as she approached a young girl on the street, Henry watching from a step behind his partner. The girl was quite adorable- maybe ten years old with curly red hair and completely covered with freckles. She looked up nervously at the detective.

"My mom says that I shouldn't talk to people on the street," she said, stopping at the door to her apartment building and shifting her gaze down to her feet.

"It's okay, Jessie, I'm a police officer," Jo assured, letting the girl look at her badge. The red-haired child froze up, an anxious look on her face. "I just need to talk to you mother, is she home?" she asked.

The girl's green eyes flashed from Jo to Henry, and the doctor could help but feel a paternal desire to assure her everything would be okay, but he held his tongue. "Is he a police officer too?" she asked, clearly stalling.

"Well, he's my partner," Jo said. Henry just offered her a silent nod at that. He felt it best not to frighten her by telling her what exactly he did for a living.

"Why do you want to talk to my mom?" she questioned, pressing her back against the door.

"We think she might have seen a crime happen," Jo explained, "and we would just like to ask her a few questions."

"She didn't see anything!" Jessie insisted, almost shouting.

Both Jo and Henry looked taken aback and they shared a glance. The detective could see pieces falling into place in the medical examiner's mind. "Miss Lyle, did you see the crime take place?" Henry questioned gently.

The girl's eyes shot wide open in panic and she bolted. She ran right between them, and they turned in unison to watch her head right towards the street.

Jessie didn't look as she took of across to the pavement. Horror shot through Henry as he saw a car speeding towards her, at too high a velocity to stop in time.

"No! Jessie! Stop!" he cried, following her as fast as he could.

Jo watched in utter shock as the man knocked the girl out of the way. Jessie wailed at the same time as a loud car horn quickly followed by a hard thud sounded through the air.

"Henry!" the woman practically shrieked, running to her partner's side and falling to her knees beside him. He wasn't moving.

Relief flooded over her as he blinked up at her and let out a pained moan. The girl came up next to Jo, tears streaking down her face. "I'm sorry, Mister. I didn't mean to get you hurt!" she blubbered.

Jo ignored her for the time being, focusing on the doctor. "Henry, Henry. Are you okay?"

"I'm... alive," he mumbled, voice dripping with emotion Jo couldn't quite place. "Leg... ribs... broken," he recited, and she realized he was diagnosing himself. "Possible... internal bleeding..." he added through gritted teeth.

Panic seized Jo internally at that, but she forced herself calm. "You are going to be fine, Henry, just stay with me." The driver had stopped and was exiting his car. "Call an ambulance!" she barked before the driver could voice the fear on his face. He pulled out his cellphone.

"Is... is," Henry tried to say, eyes attempting to focus through the pain on Jo.

"Is what?" Jo asked him, touching his face to let him know she was there.

"Is... Jessie hurt?" he asked.

Of course he was more worried about the girl than his own life. "I'm fine, Mister," the girl sniffled. "Thank you for saving me. All I got was a few scratches."

Henry sighed. "Good," he said shortly.

Jo couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh. "When are you going to learn to stop stepping in front of moving vehicles? Will this finally teach you?"

"No," he admitted. "Isn't... the first time."

"Of course, of course you've been hit by a car before," she rolled her eyes. She felt the need to keep him talking. "Okay, Doctor, tell me. From experience, do you think you are going to live?" The joke was made bitter by the reality of the situation.

"I... certainly... hope so, Jo."

* * *

Henry came to slowly. His mind was groggy with muted pain and medication. His eyes blinked open, hospital lights swimming above him. He heard a muffled voice that sounded far off and tried to say something, but it came out as an unintelligible mumbled.

"... he's finally awake! Hello, Henry, how are you feeling?" He was finally able to make out a voice as his head started to clear. It was immediately familiar.

"Abraham," Henry finally formed the words. He turned his head to look at his son, taking a moment to be able to focus. "What, um-"

"You got hit by a car, remember?" a separate voice reminded him. He looked the other way, seeing Jo sitting across the room.

The memories came back to him. "Right, yes. I recall that."

His partner stood and stepped over to him, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze. "You scared the hell out of me. You broke your leg and three ribs and punctured your spleen. Do you know how lucky you are that it wasn't worse?"

"Quite," Henry responded simply.

"I'd normally say, 'never do that again'," Jo sighed, "but you did do that for a kid. And Jessie felt so guilty about what happened that she told us everything that she knew."

"Way to be a hero, Henry," Abe commended with a grin.

Henry smiled slightly. "So, the case-"

"Is all wrapped up," Jo nodded. "Thanks to you and your complete and utter lack of self preservation."

"So, when can I return home and to work?" Henry questioned.

Jo gave him a slightly unamused look. "Henry, if I know you at all, I know you know the answer to that question."

"No, I cannot miss another three-to-four weeks of work," he protested indignantly.

"Hey, you are the one who decided to get in a fight with a Ford and lose," Jo threw up her hands. "And I'm not going to let you kill yourself for real this time by straining yourself too early."

Henry frowned slightly. He couldn't help but think that this might have been much easier if that car had just killed him.


End file.
